[uberman]

Is the proposed software something that creates a competitive advantage or is foundational/plumbing?

I'm not going to fund an open source project that would represent an even fleeting competitive advantage. On the other hand, I'm not going to pay to build an in-house CMS. If I had the money would consider spending it to support some open initiative. The rub I see though is that most startups don't have the runway to throw discretionary spending at open source.